Telecommunications technology has advanced dramatically in recent history. The era of cost effective mobile data connectivity, “anytime, anywhere” is rapidly approaching. With the growing popularity of the Internet and increasing mobility demands from end users, there has recently been increased interest in wireless public Internet access.
Public Internet access (e.g. Internet Café) has been around for many years. In the last couple of years, a new wireless data technology based on the IEEE 802.11 standard has been gaining momentum. Of particular interest is the deployment of 802.11-based access points—so called “Hotspots”—in public spaces, e.g. coffee shops, hotels, conference centers, and airports. Users with client devices such as laptops and personal digital assistants (PDAs) use an 802.11 network interface card that enables them to connect to the Internet without any physical cables. Once an association is established with the Wireless LAN (WLAN) Access Point (AP) or Hotspot, the user is able to surf the Internet as if they were on a LAN.
The existing Hotspots provide good Internet connectivity. The major challenge with this type of wireless solution is coverage. The 802.11 standard makes use of an unlicensed frequency spectrum and is therefore limited to low power transmissions. As a result, a typical Hotspot has a range of no more than 150 feet indoors and 1000 feet outdoors under ideal conditions. Even with large companies such as T-Mobile planning to install thousands of these Hotspots in the coming years, it will be very difficult to achieve sufficient coverage throughout a city to satisfy a large population of mobile workers.
To address the need for wide area wireless coverage, many cellular operators have been deploying new generation (known as 2.5G or 3G) wireless data networks. For example, the PCS Vision network from Sprint PCS is already providing substantially improved performance over previous generations of wireless technology. With speeds averaging 50-70 kbps and peaking at 144 kbps the PCS Vision network is much slower than its 802.11 counterpart but has the advantage of a large coverage area and support for vehicular mobility (e.g. 0-300 km/h). 3G networks provide a service that is closer to the “anytime, anywhere” objective.
There are drawbacks with 3G networks, chief among them being cost. 3G interface cards are expensive and so are the associated service plans. There are also several competing and evolving standards (1xRTT, 1xEV-DO, 1xEV-DV, GPRS, EDGE, etc.). A given interface card typically supports only one of these standards, the consumer is faced with a difficult decision, compounded by the knowledge he will likely have to upgrade to yet another expensive option within 18-36 months. High cost, confusing choices and poor performance relative to home Internet services such as DSL and cable modems all inhibit the wide acceptance of 3G.
Today, ground transportation is a part of nearly everyone's life. Be it airport transfers, customer visits, or daily commuting, more and more of the workforce is becoming mobile. Mobile workers are continually looking for cost effective solutions that allow them to stay in touch with their customers, co-workers, suppliers and shareholders electronically using standard computer equipment while “stuck” in transit using public transportation including limousines, taxis, buses, ferries or trains.
It is an object of this invention to provide a mobile wireless hotspot that allows client devices equipped with short-range wireless Internet capability (e.g. 802.11) to access the Internet from a mobile vehicle through a long-range wireless Internet system (e.g. a 3G network).